A molten metal container “C”, such as a converter, containing molten metal therein, is rotatable. Such a molten metal container (C) may be rotated in one direction or the other direction, or alternately in both directions so as to release molten metal contained therein or so as to remove slag generated in the course of blowing where the molten metal container (C) is a converter.
For this purpose, as illustrated in FIG. 9B, the molten metal container (C) may be rotated about a rotational shaft (A), together with a ring member 20 enclosing the molten metal container (C). The load of the molten metal container (C) should be supported even when the molten metal container (C) is rotated or stationary.
Thus, to support the load of the molten metal container (C) when the molten metal container (C) is rotated or stationary, the molten metal container (C) and the ring member 20 are fixed by disposing a connecting member (R) connected to the molten metal container (C) on the ring member 20, and inserting a fixing member (F) into a connecting member (M) through connected to the ring member 20, as illustrated in FIG. 8A. However, this case needs a relatively large structure.
Also, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, the ring member 20 is provided with a support member 41 of which one end is inserted into the molten metal container (C), and the molten metal container (C) is formed with an insertion hole 42 together with ribs (L) such that the support member 41 supports the load of the molten metal container (C). However, in this case, one-sided wearing of the support member 41 may occur due to a narrow clearance between the support member 41 and the insertion hole 42 and a difference in thermal expansion between the molten metal container (C) and the ring member 20 made of different materials, or cracks may be generated in the support member 41 or the insertion hole 42.
Also, as illustrated in FIG. 9A, the other side of the ring member 20 of which one side is connected to the molten metal container (C) is connected to the molten metal container (C) via a thin plate (S) to thus support the load of the molten metal container (C). However, in this case, when the thin plate (S) is subject to a bending load, the thin plate (S) may be very vulnerable to such a load, and may be damaged due to molten metal released while the molten metal contained in the molten metal container (C) is released to the outside.
In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 9B, a first fixing member 31 provided on the ring member 20 is horizontally or vertically connected to a second fixing member 33 provided on the molten metal container (C) by a link member 32 to thus support the load of the molten metal container (C). However, in this case, when the molten metal container (C) is in a rotated location where the link member 32 connected horizontally is subject to the load of the molten metal container (C), cracks may be generated in a connecting part, especially the connecting part between the first fixing member 31 and the ring member 20. For example, in the case where the molten metal container (C) is a converter, the molten metal container (C) may be alternately rotated in one and the other directions. In this case, since the link members 32 connected vertically are arranged at different intervals, an excessive load may be concentrated on only one of the link members 32. Thus, cracks may be generated in the connecting part.